Jersey’s Victorian History Uncovered

New exhibition at Jersey Museum

Jersey Heritage is proud to announce the launch of a new art exhibition at Jersey Museum and Art Gallery, All Change Victorian Jersey, which explores the Island’s Victorian heritage and the way in which Island life changed between 1837 – 1901 - the reign of Queen Victoria

Kindly sponsored by F. Le Gallais and Sons and supported by the Association of Jersey Charities, the exhibition which opens on Thursday 1st August – 31st December, is brought to life with light and sound shows as it explores the changing people and landscape of Jersey.

As you enter the Art Gallery, you start your journey through the Victorian era with a landscape painting of an idyllic, contented, peasant-inhabited Jersey illustrated by Philip Hutching Rogers in 1833, just prior to Victoria’s reign. As you continue your journey through the exhibition you soon appreciate just how much this urban Islet was influenced by the industrial revolution and ever changing social policies, preferences and ways of life.

The exhibition features many iconic paintings such as portraits of Lillie Langtry, the famous A-list celebrity and socialite who challenged the repressive female role of the times. Philip John Ouless and Le Capelain paintings illustrate Queen Victoria’s first visit to Jersey in 1846, whilst other pieces explore the Islands politics and how leisure, steam technology, marine developments, fashion and even the Jersey cow have influenced local society.

Designed to appeal to school children as well as adults, the gallery features interactive elements including a section dedicated to Victorian fashion, complete with dressing up box and activities area. Jersey Heritage is also working to offer informal learning resources to support independent learning about the Victorian era.

Curator of Art at Jersey Heritage Louise Downie also commented, ‘The beauty of this exhibition is that it offers insight into an era which is often taken for granted. The attitudes, technology and policies which developed in the Island throughout the Victorian period have dramatically influenced the way in which we live today and there are many stories and traditions which can be rooted back to this era. We are so grateful to Le Gallais for enabling us to revisit this important time in local history and for the support of the Association of Jersey Charities for bringing this story to life with the sound and light exhibition. A lot of hard work has gone into the new Gallery, with contribution from both Jersey Archive and the Société Jersiaise and we hope that Islanders and visitors alike can enjoy and gain understating of local Victorian life.’

Robin Sappé, Director at Le Gallais commented ‘As a business established in Jersey almost two centuries ago, Le Gallais have witnessed first-hand and been influenced by the changes in Jersey’s society which are illustrated through the All Change Victorian Jersey exhibition. We take pride in supporting community projects and are delighted to support such a valuable insight into the Island’s heritage.’

All Change Victorian Jersey opens to the public on Thursday 1st August – 31st December 2013. Admission to Jersey Museum is free for Jersey Heritage Members, membership now available from just 85p* a month. A full calendar of events and activities is available through the Jersey Heritage website www.jerseyheritage.org

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